The Letter
by Drawing-of-a-Key
Summary: Interesting how a simple letter could change William Turner's mind. .Takes place two years after World's End. Please read and review! EDIT: I need a new title for this... have an idea? Leave a review or message me.
1. Prologue

Why 'ello there! xD

I got the idea for this while listening to Lips of an Angel by Hinder. I know it's not really anything like the song... but whatever. They didn't have phones back then, m'kay?

The chapters are going to switch on and off with the POVs... for instance, although his chapter might be Will centered, the next may be Elizabeth centered. And then Will again. We'll see :)

Reading this prologue is a good idea since it tells you a lot about the plot... I know it's a little boring xP But whatever.

This fanfic can be considered two stories combined. If you want to read just Will's story then read chapters 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13 and 14

For Elizabeth's story read chapters 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 and 14

Or else you can just read this normally and read straight through xP It doesn't matter to me, it's personal preference. The story _should_ make sense though if you decide to read one POV first and the other later. As long as you read this prologue you shouldn't get too lost... I hope... xP

Now onto more important stuff xP Pardon the rambles...

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**Important Stuff xP**

**Dedication: **I dedicate this to all of my friends in BmtH and on the Neopets roleplaying boards. :) You've all helped me grow so much even if you never see this fanfic.

**Special Thanks To:** Jordan for pre-reading this for me and helping me edit it. :)

**Summary: **This takes place about two years after the third movie (yes I know it hasn't come out yet -.-). When Will receives an unexpected letter from his old love, Elizabeth, he realizes that he can't stay in London anymore if he doesn't want to be found by Lord Beckett and James Norrington. He begins to wonder if his love for Elizabeth is still there and whether or not he should rescue her from the evils Beckett is pressing upon her.

**Warning:** Hints of slash. Maybe not in this chapter but in future chapters (however not with any of the characters I'm going to consider main in my story). If you don't like it, deal with it... it's only a sentence or two... but I MAY write a whole chapter centering around a new couple I support xP Rating is for safety, I may add some violence or whatever, who knows. What I think is violent and what you may think is violent could be two totallyyyyy different things.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own PotC O.o No matter how much I wish I did.

**Now on with the fanfic.**

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**The Letter**

_Prologue_

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Another quiet evening. Roughly five to ten minutes past midnight and he was up yet again trying to finish a sword for a man three houses down. Surely it was a project that could wait- the man wasn't the most important customer he'd ever had- but it acted as an excuse for him to stay up longer into the early hours of morning... just to think... 

Several knocks on the door made him nearly miss the anvil as he hammered down upon the hot metal. Surprised that anyone would be coming into the shop this late at night, he made his way over to the door. A man stood there calmly, not seeming to expect to be let inside. His clothes were those of a common man, to his relief, and not that of a pirate nor a man of the Navy.

"Can I help you, sir?" He asked with slight confusion, eying the man curiously. The man nodded slowly.

"I believe so. Are you William Turner?" He froze.

"Aye..." he replied cautiously, wary about giving out his name just in case he was still wanted by the East India Trading Co. But the man's full, rosy lips curled into a warm smile as he held out a wrapped piece of parchment, a letter, for Will to take.

"From a former Miss Elizabeth Swann, sir." His eyes widened at the sound of her name bringing back memories both happy and painful, memories that he had tried to shut out and get rid of by coming to London and finding a new woman. But what did this man mean by _former_? Elizabeth must have found a new partner as well. He quickly received the letter from the man and held it in his hands, his eyes gazing tiredly over it. Why would she write to him and then send it to be delivered at this late hour?

"Good night, sir," the man said with a small bow before disappearing into the darkness.

"Thank you," He said breathily, still full of wonder as to what the letter would be about and how she had known where to find him.

He crossed over to a small table in the far corner of the shop and sat down to get ready to read it. But his thoughts of Elizabeth were interrupted by the sound of footsteps from above him coming gently down the creaking stairs. He quickly hid the letter amongst others before pretending to get back to work.

"William...?" Her soft voice cooed tiredly. "William, who was at the door...?" He turned around to face her with a small, but impatient smile.

"No one, Eva. Someone just had the wrong address. That's all." He froze as he watched her let out a tired yawn. "Did I awaken you?" She sighed.

"No, I woke up and noticed that you _still_ weren't there beside me! William..."

"I am almost done with tonight's work, Eva. I promise you. You should get back to bed." She nodded reluctantly, releasing another shuddering sigh as she turned back to the stairs.

"Good night, then..."

"Good night..." he whispered softly, listening as her footsteps slowly disappeared up the wooden stairs. He let out a sigh of relief as he crossed back over to the table and began shuffling through the papers to find the one he had just received. Anxiously he began to toss several aside to be discarded along the floor. A hint of panic rose from somewhere within him until his fingers finally grazed the sealed parchment and he held it in the dim candlelight to get a better look. He tore it open furiously, his hands shaking slightly as he sat down at the table and lit another candle that had been blown out by the bloody draft coming in from the nearby broken window. His eyes skimmed the letter hurriedly, hoping that Eva was asleep by now. He squinted his eyes a little, trying to make out the shaky letters and words that decorated the parchment. He read slowly:

_Will,_

_I hope you are doing well. I trust that you probably have a new woman by now as well. Possibly even a family. Send them, and her, my best._

_Oh, Will. I cannot lie to you any longer. I need you... it's not what you think – after we rescued Jack, I didn't sail back with him to Tortuga... instead I went straight home to my father in Port Royal. I was able to set him free for a price... one that at the time I hadn't regretted selling myself for. I wasn't thinking. I agreed to marry Lord Cutler Beckett and later I was forced to give the destination of Jack..._

_I am wed to Lord Beckett now. It has been two long years since I've seen you, or Jack for that matter. And I'm so afraid... James Norrington returned from his... expedition... to hunt down Jack and he informed us that Jack and his crew were sunk to the bottom of the sea and that their deaths unavoidable. I thought for sure, in the situation I was in, that James would have helped me out of this... but his title was more important than the love he once had for me. Lord Beckett knows I'm depressed but he does not care- he loves my distress._

_Don't hate me, Will. Don't hate me. I am not allowed to write to you and I have no idea whether or not that this will get delivered to the right address. But in the next few days I may be forced to give them your whereabouts as well. As soon as you read this, you may very well be being hunted by James. Don't hate me, don't hate me. I need you, I need you..._

_You have to get away. You're the only hope I have left in the world now... You don't need to rescue me – I know I don't deserve to be saved from this after everything I've done to you, but I don't think I can bear to hear the news of your death. I've been awful to you. We were all set to be wed and I ruined it. It was all my fault – never yours. You had a right to be angry with me that day on the Pearl and you have the right to be angry with me now._

_I've tried to escape this prison I once called home several times. I made it as far as Tortuga once. But James was sent out to look for me and I was soon found. When I arrived back in Port Royal, I was beaten by Lord Beckett. I'm glad you can't see me now – I'm a wreck. I don't even know if you'll receive this letter. If Lord Beckett or his men intercept it... then I'm sure that I'll be beaten or worse... I sent this letter with the help of an old friend of my father's._

_I beg you not to leave me here...! Beckett has killed my father regardless of the deal we made and I don't even know if the things James told me about Jack were true... I need to somehow know that you – and Jack – are still alive..._

_Best regards,_

_Elizabeth Swann (I refuse to be called Beckett.)_

He sat there; face buried in his hands as he thought about what he was going to do. He massaged his temples as he tiredly closed his eyes, so many thoughts and memories pricking at him for a decision. Would it really be worth it going to help Elizabeth? She never even said in her letter that she might love him again... and why throw away the new life he had established in London? Leaving to go to the Caribbean would be risking death... plus could he really leave Evangeline now? Did he really love her? Or was she just there for the purpose of taking his mind off of Elizabeth and that alone? No, he decided, he didn't really love her. She'd be much better off without him. If there were any time to leave, it would definitely be now in the dead of night, especially if he _was_ being hunted by Lord Beckett and James Norrington as Elizabeth had warned. It would only be a matter of time before she's discover things about his past and his current status as a fugitive from the East India Trading Co, anyway. He slowly rose from his seat, stuffing the letter into his pocket. He picked up the coat hanging off the chair and slid it easily around his shoulders. He readied a sword at his side, just in case, before blowing out the few candles illuminating the room. He picked up a hat off the table and placed it on his head half covering his eyes as he disappeared off into the darkness of night.

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Please review... or, you know, whatever. Please let me know what to improve on and all... I'm still awfully tired from the championship game I went to on Friday... hopefully that exhaustion didn't translate into my writing o.o 


	2. Broken

Welcome to Chapter 1 of the fanfic, or of Elizabeth's story if you just want to read hers. :o

If you don't want to read something with a lot of emotion and crud then I suggest you don't read this. xP I'm a sucker for tears.

So whoo.

Let's begin.

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**Important Stuff xP**

**Dedication: **I dedicate this to all of my friends in BmtH and on the Neopets roleplaying boards. :) You've all helped me grow so much even if you never see this fanfic.

**Special Thanks To:** Jordan for proof-reading this for me and providing moral support. :)

**Warning:** Hints of slash. Maybe not in this chapter but in future chapters (however not with any of the characters I'm going to consider main in my story). If you don't like it, deal with it... it's only a sentence or two... but I MAY write a whole chapter centering around a new couple I support xP Rating is for safety, I may add some violence or whatever, who knows. What I think is violent and what you may think is violent could be two totallyyyyy different things.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own PotC O.o No matter how much I wish I did.

**Now on with the fanfic.**

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**The Letter**

_Chapter 1: Broken_

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Locked in her room. Again. Every night ended as such: being pushed in and locked in a bedroom until dawn was well upon the island. But Elizabeth didn't even resist anymore, deciding that being locked up was far better than having to spend a night with Lord Beckett. 

She sat at the window, drumming smooth fingertips absentmindedly on the sill as she sat there thinking. The only light in the room was that of the full silver moon resting outside in the distance, allowing her to see past the docks once her eyes adjusted.

She sighed as a shiver went down her spine, a merciless breeze blowing in from the wide open window. On nights like this when the moon was generous she'd often sneak out to various places in Port Royal, and several times she was able to get away with it, too. She had even dared to become a stowaway on a ship that left the port to Tortuga... but she was found and, of course, punished. And now every night several guards waited far beneath the window, begging for her to dare such an escape attempt again.

She brushed a strand of dark blond hair from her dark brown eyes as they longingly scanned the seas, filled with false hope that Will would come sailing in any day now to come save her. It was a hope that had kept her living through these hard times... not that it changed the fact that she'd been living a long two years there with Beckett.

But what bothered her now was the location of her letter. It had been about three days since she had written it and delivered it. With any luck he would have received it by now. She had sent it with the final man she could trust in Port Royal- a family friend- who had claimed to know where to find her ex-fiancé. She sighed deeply, running her fingers along one of the folds on her nightgown.

London. That's where Will _supposedly_ was. With any luck he'd be right and Will would soon be on the run. Though it was surprising to her that Beckett hadn't questioned her about his whereabouts, she was sure that it'd be coming any day. What could she do?

She let her eyes droop as she sat further back in the chair, allowing her hands to retreat to its armrests. She breathed in and out slowly, ignoring the prickling pain on her forearm and the small flow of crimson that trailed down from it. Would she have to endure such torture every night?

She recalled the times when she used to be free. Sure, she may have misused that freedom once or twice, and it hadn't lasted too long, but she hadn't regretted being able to sail the seas with Will and Jack. Jack Sparrow. _Captain_ Jack Sparrow.

Could he really be dead?

A tear brimmed on the edge of her eye, soaking her thick black eyelashes before rolling slowly down her cheek.

"Jack, Jack... you can't be dead..." she cried softly, trying to muffle pursuing sobs that racked her body like the shivers caused by the cold night air. Her body finally bent over from the spasm like sobs and she buried her face in her hands, her elbows resting on her knees. She let the wetness soak through her fingers, granting its salty liquid access her tongue. Its bitterness tasted good considering her condition and actually comforted her a little. But the dreadful thought kept reoccurring: if Jack _was_ dead then those adventures on the seas may never happen again.

Everything was falling apart. _She_ was falling apart. She wouldn't be able to go on much longer, she knew, if the news of Will's death was brought to her. Earlier that months he had been forced to watch as her father was killed regardless of the deal she'd made with the man that she was expected to call her husband. And she was still recovering from the shock and realization that she was now _alone_. After all, James wouldn't help her- that was apparent. Whatever love he may have once had for her was gone now, and he constantly avoided her gaze upon greeting.

Another tear rolled down her paling cheeks as she gasped for breath between cries. She couldn't let herself break down like this... she had to remain strong and sustain the hope that Will Turner was out there preparing to come to rescue her.

Sleep pulled at her spirit making her lean back again, but she instantly sat up again to lean against the window sill for support.

Sleep was frightening to her now. The fear of having a nightmare about the deaths of those she loved was enough to keep her awake most nights, but as for others it was impossible to resist sleep and it dominated her.

Was it her fault that she didn't want to keep reliving the dark side of her past? What happened to dreams of pleasure, adventure, and freedom? And more importantly, what had happened to this woman, who at one time had been strong and independent, witty yet proper, and loved and wanted?

One last tearful spasm shot through her body before she finally gave into sleep's will and drifted off into a sea of darkness.


	3. Departure

Beginning of Will's story after the Prologue :) I hope you enjoy it.

Please read and review!!! Let me know what you think! It would be great to know what I can improve on and what I'm doing well xP

I know not much is happening yet (or seems to be happening), but meh... bear with me xD

By the way... whoever can help me think up a better name will be my best friend forever :o M'kay thanks.

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**Important Stuff xP**

**Dedication: **I (still) dedicate this to all of my friends in BmtH and on the Neopets roleplaying boards. :) You've all helped me grow so much even if you never see this fanfic.

**Warning:** Rating is _always_ for safety. I don't think there'll be anything other than alcohol in this chapter xP

**Disclaimer:** I do not own PotC O.o No matter how much I wish I did. Dx

**Now on with the chapter.**

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**The Letter**

_Chapter 2: Departure_

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The moon lit his path as he made his way hurriedly to the docks. He wasn't sure exactly what he was going to do once he got there- the hopes of commandeering a ship by himself were pretty low. Then again, it was only half past midnight. It'd be easier to slip past guards, but... wait... one crew wasn't asleep... wasn't out drinking... 

"Wait!" Will called to one of the crew, a shadowed figure, preparing to set off on a small ship. The figure turned around, the moonlight revealing the face of the man who had been at his house only moments before. "Where is this ship headed?" The stout man smiled before shouting a few commands to the few crewmembers he had aboard.

"Port Royal, mate," he finally answered, "but we're making a short stop in Tortuga. Will you be coming along then?" Will hesitated before nodding, moving closer to the ship. "Hurry aboard, then! We need to get out of here- we're already behind schedule as it is!"

Will climbed up the Jacob's ladder hastily as the crew began to prepare to leave the docks. After a few minutes of waiting they were sailing off into the black sea, the warm ocean air embracing them.

"I 'ad a feeling you'd tag along," the man admitted, coming up from below deck with two bottles of rum in hand. He had light brown hair that was starting to thin and beaming blue-grey eyes that sparkled with enthusiasm and some strange kind of knowledge. He handed a bottle to Will who took it reluctantly, curiosity prying at him to ask a question that had been bothering him since he had stepped aboard.

"Are you a pirate, sir?" He asked, glancing meaningfully at the rum in his hands. The man seemed to pause, puzzled a little, but then he chuckled heartily after taking a short swig.

"Not exactly..." the man slowly answered, turning his gaze to the darkness lying ahead of them, "But I am against the East India Trading Co."

Will leaned forward against the side of the ship, turning his head to face the man with a frown.

"Why? Why would you be against them?"

"Well... e'er since they paraded into Port Royal and completely tore apart Governor Swann 'n everyone else there, it's been pretty 'ard to do many of the things one was once able t' do, eh? Plus... they left me without much of a job. I nearly got arrested. That Cutler Beckett though... he uses his power for awful reasons." The man frowned, tapping his fingers absentmindedly along the ship's railing before quickly supporting himself from toppling over.

"How did you come to be friends with the Swann family?" Will pressed on, still leaving his rum unopened. "How were you able to find me?" A slight fear crossed over him. If such a common man as this could find where he was hiding... then it was probably effortless for Lord Beckett to find him no matter where he'd run. The man chuckled before hobbling over to a shorter man at the helm. Will followed, frustrated that his question wasn't being answered right away.

"I thought you'd have it figured out by now, Mr. Turner..." the man finally slurred, giving a sort of dazed look at Will, "I'm a sort of... private officer one might say..."

"A spy?"

"I suppose that's another name for it, aye." Will let out a groan. Could he really trust this man? People like him were excellent about lying and keeping their true identities undercover, but perhaps this man was just a batty drunk...? He must've been out of work for a while now and it was clear from the generous rum present that he must have made more than a few trips to Tortuga since Lord Beckett's intrusion upon the port.

"That all makes sense now, then..." Will admitted with a tired sigh, "But surely Lord Beckett has spies as well...?"

"I can swear to you that 'e does," the man said solemnly, glancing out at the sea, "but that doesn't mean he's always so desperate to use 'em. He 'as other ways o' pryin' information from people." Will shivered as the man leaned over to give the man at the helm directions.

"You still haven't told me your name," Will reminded him edgily, still unsure of whether or not to trust this man. But the man only smirked, raising an eyebrow.

"What would be the point o' tellin' you, mate? Giving out my true name to anyone may as well be the same as selling my soul t' hell." Will frowned in slight confusion.

"But surely you have another name you go by? Another name by which I can call you?" The man shrugged.

"Mos' jus' call me Sam. I earned my nickname from the very beauty you're standing upon now, _The Flotsam_." Will tried to hold back a small laugh but he disguised it as a cough. Who would name their ship after what a ship became after it sunk?

"I see. How much longer until we reach Tortuga?" The man, _Sam_, sighed before scratching his head and turning back to Will.

"Well unfortunately, _The Flotsam_ isn't the fastest ship in the ocean so it'll still be about two or three days... and that's if we're lucky." He told Will darkly, eying the gathering clouds above them. "The seas have been kind to us so far." Will returned the sigh, feeling more frustration.

"And if we run into a naval ship...?"

"Well, we have to hope it doesn't come to that, won't we?" He answered grimly before heading off to a small cabin.

Will listened as the heavy footsteps faded away before staring out at the waves before him.

_Elizabeth..._

He couldn't take his mind off of her now that she had written to him and he found himself taking out the letter to read it again. It felt so wonderful glancing over the words she had written, no matter what memories she had brought back to him. He knew he couldn't avoid them forever. Sadness crossed over him for a moment as she examined her shaky letters; he could guess that she had written this with a tearful hand. And the ink blotches that smeared some of the words to the point of illegibility proved it. She _had_ been crying when she had written this, but why? Was it the death of Jack?

Jack's death. Definately something he'd look into when he got to Tortuga, if it _was_ true. Somewhere inside Will was doubt that the captain would have been killed so easily in a battle at sea. Then again... it was odd that the commodore would deliver such a serious lie to Elizabeth.

He felt a touch of anger rise in him after reading her words for what felt like the hundreth time, finding it typical that she'd wait until everyone else was gone before resorting to him for help. He wished he could have just refused her plea for help but he knew that he'd never be able to, even if he did love Evangeline.

No matter what his mind told him, his heart still loved her. And it hurt knowing that she no longer turned to him in her time of need.

Only as a last resort.

How could such a simple letter cause such different emotions from within him?

A distant rumbling boom of thunder sounded warningly in the distance, interrupting Will's thoughts and making him jump a little from the instant sound. Moments later a soft rain began to pour onto the vessel, and he made his way hurriedly below deck to escape the coldness the wet drops had seemed to bring with them. He folded the letter carefully and hid it back in his coat pocket, leaning against the wooden wall of the ship for support. He slid down to the floor out of exhaustion and his mind finally allowed him to rest.

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Please review if you get the chance! x.x Thanks so much for reading! Next chapter will come out... well... when I write it xP

And yeah xP I'm aware that the man is loads different than he was in the prologue but oh well xP


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